This section is intended to provide a background or context to the invention recited in the claims. The description herein may include concepts that could be pursued, but are not necessarily ones that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated herein, what is described in this section is not prior art to the description and claims in this application and is not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
It would be desirable to provide an improved solar power generation system that uses a solar concentrator(s) to focus sunlight on photovoltaic cell(s) to generate electricity. However, the problems posed by this type of arrangement are complex because the heat generated within the photovoltaic cell can reach levels that may damage the cell. For example, the amount of power consumed by conventional equipment and technologies for cooling the cell(s) typically reduce the overall electrical generation efficiency of such cells to an undesirable level. Further complicating the use of conventional cooling technologies is the number of moving parts typically required that tend to cause reduced reliability, and increased maintenance, downtime and expense.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a solar power generation system formed from a plurality of individual solar power modules having a solar concentrator focusing sunlight onto one or more photovoltaic cells that interface with a sealed evaporative cooling system to provide contact cooling of the cell with a coolant.